Michel Delpech
Encyclopedia
Jean-Michel Delpech, known as Michel Delpech, (born in Courbevoie
(Hauts-de-Seine
, France
) on 26 January 1946) is a French
singer-songwriter
.
. In 1964, Michel Delpech met Roland Vincent, and a long singing songwriting partnership ensued with Delpech being signed to Festival French record label.
In 1965, he took part in music comedy Copains Clopant that had a 6-month run and made him very popular, particularly through his interpretation "Chez Laurette". He was the opening acts for Jacques Brel
's goodbye concert at the Paris Olympia
. In 1967, he collaborated with Johnny Stark
. In 1968, he won "Grand Prix du Disque award for "Il y a des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit".
Then he left Vogue to sign with Barclay Records
. At the peak of his success, he recorded Wight Is Wight in tribute of Isle of Wight Festival
, a famous rock festival on the Isle of Wight
that became his best known song.
The early 1970s brought separations from Johnny Stark and two years, and stopping of long collaboration with Roland Vincent, his first-ever writer. He had some new releases but with limited success. In the 1980s, he enjoyed a comeback and released the album Loin d'ici. A compilation album followed in 1989. He continued releasing albums and making concerts. In December 2006, he released an album of duets Michel Delpech & that topped the French Albums Chart for 1 week (week of 21–27 January 2007). He also engaged on a French tour.
Compilations
Live albums
Festival
Barclay
Pathé-Marconi / EMI / Charles Talar Records
Carrère
Tréma
Courbevoie
Courbevoie is a commune located very close to the centre of Paris, France. The centre of Courbevoie is situated 2 kilometres from the outer limits of Paris and 8.2 km...
(Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) on 26 January 1946) is a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Career
In 1963, he had his debut release hit "Anatole" on Disques VogueDisques Vogue
Disques Vogue was founded in France in 1947, the same year that the USA Vogue closed shop. They originally specialized in jazz recordings, featuring such artists as Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Errol Garner. In the late 1950s Vogue expanded into pop music,...
. In 1964, Michel Delpech met Roland Vincent, and a long singing songwriting partnership ensued with Delpech being signed to Festival French record label.
In 1965, he took part in music comedy Copains Clopant that had a 6-month run and made him very popular, particularly through his interpretation "Chez Laurette". He was the opening acts for Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
's goodbye concert at the Paris Olympia
Paris Olympia
The Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
. In 1967, he collaborated with Johnny Stark
Johnny Stark
Johnny Stark was a Canadian-American soccer forward who spent most of career with indoor soccer teams. He currently coaches with the FC Dallas youth club....
. In 1968, he won "Grand Prix du Disque award for "Il y a des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit".
Then he left Vogue to sign with Barclay Records
Barclay Records
Barclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s....
. At the peak of his success, he recorded Wight Is Wight in tribute of Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
, a famous rock festival on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
that became his best known song.
The early 1970s brought separations from Johnny Stark and two years, and stopping of long collaboration with Roland Vincent, his first-ever writer. He had some new releases but with limited success. In the 1980s, he enjoyed a comeback and released the album Loin d'ici. A compilation album followed in 1989. He continued releasing albums and making concerts. In December 2006, he released an album of duets Michel Delpech & that topped the French Albums Chart for 1 week (week of 21–27 January 2007). He also engaged on a French tour.
Personal life
- In 1966, he met Chantal Simon who he married. Later on the couple divorced, and Delpech suffered depression. He searched for relief in religions, mainly BuddhismBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and later the Catholic faith. - In the 1970s, there were also many rumours about attempted suicides, but he denied these rumours in a later biography.
- In 1983, he met Geneviève Garnier-Fabre, a French artist and they got married in 1985.
- In 1990, he had a son, Emmanuel. He became a talented guitarist and joined his father in his concerts since 2007.
- In 2007, Pascal Louvrier wrote a biography about him titled Michel Delpech - Mis à Nu published on Editions Perrin.
- In 2011, he played the role of Françoit Gouriot in The BelovedThe Beloved (2011 film)The Beloved is a 2011 French film written and directed by Christophe Honoré, starring Catherine Deneuve, Milos Forman, Ludivine Sagnier, Louis Garrel, Paul Schneider, Michel Delpech and Chiara Mastroianni. The story will be set in the 1960s and 1990s in Paris, Prague and London.-Production:The...
(French title: Les Bien-aimés) - In 2011, he was a guest of honor for the sixth season of Âge tendre et Têtes de bois broadcast in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
Albums
- 1966: Inventaire 66
- 1969: Il y a des jours où on ferait mieux de rester au lit
- 1970: Album
- 1974: Le chasseur
- 1975: Quand j'étais chanteur
- 1979: 5000 kilomètres
- 1986: Oubliez tout ce que je vous ai dit
- 1991: Les Voix du Brésil
- 1997: Le roi de rien
- 1999: Cadeau de Noël
- 2004: Comme Vous
- 2006: Michel Delpech &
- 2009: Sexa
Compilations
- 1990: J'étais un ange
- 1999: Fan de toi (2 CDs)
- 2008: Fan de toi (3 CDs)
- 2008: Les 100 plus belles chansons
- 2009: Best of
Live albums
- 1972: Olympia 1972
- 2005: Ce lundi-là au Bataclan
- 2007: Live au Grand Rex
Singles
Disques Vogue- 1964: "Anatole"
Festival
- 1964 : "Elle se moque de toi"
- 1965 : "Copains Clopants" (with Chantal Simon)
- 1965 : "Chez Laurette" (rereleased in 1970 and with Musidisc in 1978)
- 1965 : "T'en fais pas"
- 1965 : "Plus d'bac"
- 1966 : "Marie-toi Marie Jo" (rereleased in 1970)
- 1966 : "Inventaire 66"
- 1966 : "Quand on aime comme on s'aime"
- 1966 : "Le restaurant chinois" (rereleased in 1970)
- 1967 : "La Femme de l'an 3000"
Barclay
- 1967 : "Il faut regarder les étoiles"
- 1967 : "Pour un coin de Pologne"
- 1968 : "Poupée cassée"
- 1968 : "Les p'tits cailloux blancs"
- 1969 : "Le Mauvais Jardinier"
- 1969 : "Wight is Wight"
- 1969 : "Quand la pluie tombe en été"
- 1970 : "Chérie-Lise"
- 1970 : "Un coup de pied dans la montagne"
- 1971 : "Le blé en herbe"
- 1971 : "La Vie, La Vie"
- 1972 : "Quand un soldat reviens"
- 1972 : "Même pendant la guerre on chante"
- 1972 : "Fan de toi"
- 1972 : "Que Marianne était jolie"
- 1973 : "Rimbaud chanterait"
- 1973 : "Les divorcés"
- 1973 : "Les aveux"
- 1973 : "Je pense à toi"
- 1974 : "Je l'attendais"
- 1974 : "Le chasseur (Les oies sauvages)"
- 1975 : "Quand j’étais chanteur"
- 1976 : "Ce lundi-là"
- 1976 : "Tu me fais planer"
- 1976 : "La fille avec des baskets"
- 1977 : "Fais un bébé"
- 1977 : "Le Loir et Cher"
- 1978 : "C’est ta chanson" (remake of "Your SongYour Song"Your Song" is a ballad composed and performed by English musician Elton John with lyrics by his long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin. It appeared on John's self-titled second album in 1970....
") - 1979 : "Trente manière de quitter une fille"
- 1979 : "Je cherche un endroit"
- 1980 : "Docker"
- 1981 : "Bombay"
- 1983 : "Animaux animaux"
- 1984 : "Loin d'ici"
Pathé-Marconi / EMI / Charles Talar Records
- 1985 : "Rock en U.R.S.S."
- 1986 : "J'peux pas dormir"
- 1986 : "Oubliez tout ce que je vous ai dit"
- 1987 : "Petite France"
- 1988 : "Ces mots-là"
Carrère
- 1988 : "Fais glisser tes bas... ces mots-là"
Tréma
- 1989 : "Pleurer le chanteur"
- 1990 : "J'étais un ange"
- 1991 : "Les voix du Brésil"
- 1992 : "Terre d'amour"